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Brief Facts About 
The PRINCrPAL 

SEAPORT 

. . OF THE . . 

Gulf of Mexico. 



ISSUED HY THE 



Galveston Chamber of Commerce. 



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KNAPP BROS., STATIONERS AND PRINTERS GALV. 



- iy IN BRIEF. 

• Galveston is a deep water port of the 
first class, having 26 feet at average tides, 
and the engineers expect 28 to 30 feet in 
the near future. 

Galveston is the second cotton i.ort in 
the world. 

Galveston's harbor is the largest and 
deepest on the gulf coast. 

Galveston is the fifth exporting city in 
the United States. 

Galveston is the third richest city ac- 
cording to population in the United 
States. 

Galveston is the most delightful city of 
residence and the most healthful locality 
in the south. 

Galveston county has the longest steel 
wagon bridge in the world— two and one- 
seventh miles long. 

Galveston has over two miles of wharf 
front highly improved. 

Galveston has four grain eU'vators. 
with a storage capacity of 2,500.000 bush- 
els and others projected. 

Galveston has three lines of trunk rail- 
way, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, 
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas and the 
International and Great Northern, and 
three short lines, the Galveston, Houston 
and Henderson, the Galveston, La Portf 
and Houston and the Gulf and Interstate, 
the last two soon to make trunk connec- 
tions. 

Galveston's jetties are the longest in 
the world— 35.628 and 25.907 feet respective- 
ly. 

Galveston is the geopgrahpical export 
and import city for all the trans-Missis- 
sippi states. 

Galveston is to have four government 
forts, for which the sites have been pur- 
chased and construction is under wiiy. 



GALVESTON AND HER TRADE. 



Galveston is situated in latitude 29° 17' 
north, and longitude 94° 49' west from 
Greenwich and is farther south than any- 
city in the United States that approaches 
it in size or business importance. It is 
the commercial metropolis of the state 
and the sea port of the vast region west 
of the Mississippi river. It is a summer 
and winter health and pleasure seeker's 
resort and the delightful home of about 
50,000 of the most contented residents of 
the globe. The city is on the extreme 
eastern end of Galveston island and con- 
tains about six square miles of territory 
within its limits. It was platted and lots 
were placed upon the market in 1838. 

The solons of many decades have 
prophesied the building of a great city on 
the Gulf of MexicO', and recognizing the 
geographical advantage of Galveston, 
have pointed to it as the place above all 
others. The great west, representing a 
score or more millions of people, suc- 
ceeded in getting congress to appoint a 
commission of engineers to designate the 
most available point on the Gulf of Mex- 
ico at which a permanent deep water 
harbor could be secured, and they unani- 
mously recommended Galveston, stating 
in their report that of water 24 feet deep 
the harbor had 1304 acres, of water 30 feet 
deep 463 acres. The United States govern- 
ment recognized the national importance 
of at once making Galveston a port of 
the first magnitude, appropriated over 
six millions of dollars to be expended on 
permanent improvements in the shape ol 
sandstone jetties or rock walls, with 
broad bases capped with heavy granite 
blocks, to confine and give scouring force 
to the ebb currents which exceed 10 times 



that flowing through the South Pass jet- 
ties of the Mississippi river. Among all 
competitors Galveston harbor was se- 
lected because it was the only point on the 
gulf coast meeting all the requirements 
and conditions imposed by congress. The 
act imposed the absolute conditions thai 
the harbor must be of ample depth, width 
and capacity to accommodate the largest 
ocean going vessels and the commercial 
and naval necessity of the country. 

The north jetty is 25,907 feet long. The 
south jetty is 35,628 feet. In Febrviary. 
1893, before the jetties had progressed suf- 
ficiently to affect the bar, the depth ot 
water was but 13 feet. In February, 1894, 
the depth was 14 feet; February, 1895, 15 
feet; February, 1896, 21 feet. In February, 
1897, the survey showed a depth of over 2'> 
feet in the channel, that is straight and 
wide, and the government engineers ex- 
pect 28 to 30 feet in the near future. The 
increase is due largely to the action of the 
confined currents, thougn partly to dredg- 
ing. 

As an outlet of the great west Galveston 
is nearer than New York to San Francisco 
937 miles. Salt Lake City 752 miles, Denver 
739 miles, Kansas City 483 miles, St. Louis 
220 miles. About two miles of highly im- 
proved water front, comprising four miles 
of wharfage, is in service, and more than 
double this amount of deep water front- 
age susceptible of the same class of im- 
provement is available at any time it is 
demanded. 

During 1896 Galveston secured two new 
railroads, the Galveston, LaP'Ortfe and 
Houston and the Gulf and Interstate, and 
a few months prior the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas reached the city. The LaPoite 
road will undoubtedly beco^me part of 
some trunk line, amd the Gulf and Intei-- 



5 



state mow comnects with several road-s at 
Beauimont, and it, tco, bids fair to toeoome 
part of a great system. Galveston's three 
trunk roads are the Gulf, Colorado and 
Sianta Fie, the International and Great 
Northern and the Misfeouri, Kansas and 
Texas. The Galveston, Houston and Hen- 
dersoin and the Galveston and Western are 
also amionig- the railroads centering- here. 
To tlhiese lines of railroad must be added 
the steamers of the Direct mavig-ation 
company, plyinig- ^between Houston and 
Galveston, the Mallory line to New York 
and Key West, the Morgan line to Brazos 
Santiago, Mex., and Morgan City, La., 
and the following- reg-ular lines of steam- 
ers to foreig-n ports: Hamiburg- American 
to Haim'burg-, (North German Lloyd to Bre- 
men, Harrison line to Liverpool, Manches- 
ter line to Mianelhester. A 'Mexican line of 
tank steamers which run fromPhiladel- 
phia to Tampico and Vera Cruz calls leg- 
ularly at Galveston. The steamers of the 
West Indian and Pacific line call here oc- 
casionally and will soon be made a regular 
line. 

Thouglh 1896 was Galveston's first year 
with dieep water, the export business in- 
creased 60 per cent during the year as a 
direct consequence, and the port took a 
permanent place as one of the great grain 
exporting points of America. During the 
year Galveston also handled for export for 
the first time ipacking house pro"ducts, 
macihinery, potatoes and 'hay. The ship- 
ment of lumber and smelter products of 
the west bids fair to develo^p into a big 
business in the future. The advantages of 
the Galveston outlet to the sea ihave been 
studied by grain, cattle and ore shippers, 
by western importers and wlholesale mer- 
chants. The rate question has been partly 
adjusted, the railroad facilities have been 



increased, the elevator capacity lias been 
taxed to such ajn extent that arnangements 
have been perfected to increase the stor- 
age facilities by 900,000 busihels. Additional 
docks have been built; custom house re- 
ceipts have been more tnian douibled. 

Tiie total exports for 1896 amounted to 
$5b',O0O,0O0, iag-ainst $35,000,000 to $36,000,000 in 
each of the preceding five years. During 
1S96 Galveston exported 6,222,282 bushels of 
corn, valued at $2,013,080. In 1895 1,233,447 
bushels, valued at $390,760; in 1894 the value 
of the corn exports wias $2597^ 1893, $50,710; 
1892, $95,925; 1891, $7251; 1890, $11,989. 

In 1896 Galveston exported 3,440,494 bush- 
els of w'heat, valued at $2,073,510. During 
1895 no wheat w^as exported from this port. 
Dui-ing 1894 the value of tihe wheat export- 
ed aimounted to $77,459. Wheat exports for 
1893 lamounted to $934,269; for 1892, $335,240. 

In 1896 Galveston exported 1,182,601 bales 
of cotton, valued at $47,095,309; in 1895 Gal- 
veston exported 931,259 bales of cotton, val- 
ued at $32,672,74fi. Fior the previous five 
years the vialue of Galveston's cotto^n ex- 
ports was as follows: 1894, $33,520,164; 1893, 
$31,534,595; 1892, $32,610,901; 1891, $34,217,492; 
1890, $26,303,400. Galveston handled during 
the last four months of 1896, 1,045,797 l>ales 
of cotton, as against 674,511 for the same 
period during 1895. Galveston retains her 
position as second in the list of great cot- 
ton ports of the United States, aaid f ot two 
months of 1896 she occupied first pliace. 

During 1896 Galveston exported 136,643 
tons of cotton seed oil cake and meal, 
valued at $2,967,879. In 1895 Galveston ex- 
ported 105,736 tons of cotton seed oil cake 
and meal, valued at $2,117,218. 

During 1896 Galveston shipped 56,195 
barrels of wheat flour, valued at $212,891. 
For 1895 the value of the flour exports was 
$187,682. 



During 1896 Galveston shipped 22,784,000 
feet of lumber, valued at $291,543. For lS9o 
the value of the lumber shipments was 
$231,072. 

During- 1896 Galveston shipped 1,936,499 
gallons of cotton seed oil, valued at $493,- 
794. The value of the cotton seed oil ex- 
ports for 1895 was $236,208. 

During 1896 Galveston shipped $56,260 
worth of logs and $13,992 worth of lard. 

The value of the sundry exports for 1896, 
including spelter, lead, copper, copper 
matte, borax, copper ingots, staves and 
miscellaneous articles amounted to $767,- 
794, against $20,338 for sundries in 1895. 

The dutiable imports for 1896 amounted 
to $382,695. The free imports for the same 
year amounted to $412,213. Galveston's 
total imports for the past five years are 
as follows: 1896. $794,908; 1895, $337,178; 1894, 
$577,636; 1893, $928,343; 1892, $863,981. 

Galveston's custom house receipts for 
1896 were $191,945 The total receipts for 
1894 and 189.'S were $164 915. Increase of 1896 
over the two previous years $27,029. 

During 1896 237 vessels, with a total ton- 
nage of 392,878, entered the port of Gal- 
veston, in ballast, from foreign ports; 
while 44 vessels, with a total tonnage of 
64,991, came to Galveston with cargo from 
foreign ports. During 1896 281 vessels from 
foreign ports entered Galveston harbor. 
During 1895 184 vesesls, with a total ton- 
nage of 245,097 entered Galveston harbor 
from foreign ports. For the previous 
three years the number of vesesls enter- 
ing Galveston harbor from foreign ports 
was as follows: 1894, 180 vessels; 1893, 171 
vessels, 1892, 158 vessels. 

During 1896 303 vessels cleared from Gal- 
veston for foreign ports. Of this number 
all but two carried cargoes. During 189-3 
206 vessels cleared from Galveston with 



8 

cargro for foreign ports. For the three 
previous years the number of vessels 
which cleared from Galveston for foreign 
ports was as follows: 1894, 206; 1893, 196; 
1S92, 1S9. 

The number of vessels entered in the 
coastwise business during the past five 
years is as follows: 1896, 369; 1895, 353; 1894, 
336; 1893, 293; 1892, 272. 

Galveston is the third richest city in the 
United States in proportion to population. 
The available assets of her eight banks 
are $13,600,000. During the past few years 
of coznmercial distress, the banking insti- 
tutions, without a failure among them, 
have well maintained their reputation as 
the strongest in the south. The bank 
clearings for 1896 amounted to $262,049,751. 
These clearances place Galveston eleventh 
among the financial centers of the United 
States, and the city transacts a volume of 
business equal to that of communities 
having three or four times its population 
The assessed property value is $25.000,00il. 
based upon 40 to 50 per cent of actual 
values. 

Among the principal industries of Gal- 
veston are: 1 cotton factory, 6 cotton 
compresses, 1 bagging and cordage fac- 
tory, 1 rope and twine factory, railroad 
shops and foundries, 1 brewery, 2 pickle 
factories, 1 barrel factory, 1 fiour mill (the 
largest in the state). 1 rice mill, 13 whole- 
sale groceries. 2 wholesale dry goods 
houses, 1 wholesale notion house, 1 whole- 
sale clothing house, the largest litho- 
graph and printing house in the south, 3 
immense grain elevators, with a total ca- 
pacity of 2,500,000, and 1 coal elevator. 
There are 43 manufacturing establish- 
ments, only the largest of which are enu- 
merated above. 

Galveston has two hospitals, the state 



medical college, two orphans' homes, a 
woman's home and numerous charitable 
institutions. 

The water supply is abundant from ar- 
tesian wells located on the mainland, be- 
ing piped to the city under the bay. 

Sevei-al miles of the broad rigiit ang-le 
streets and avenues of Galveston, of which 
the citizens are justly proud, are substan- 
tially paved and form most delightful 
drives, lined on both sides in many places 
with continuious hedges of pink and w'hite 
olear.iders, and shaded by miag-nificent live 
O'aks and many other beautiful trees. 
Over 40 miles of finely equipped electric 
street car lines are cipeTted upon all of the 
principal streets anid avenues, and from 
the business portion of the city to the 
residence and manufacturing sections, and 
to the beautiful beadh, 'bordering for the 
entire length of the island on tihe Gulf of 
Mexico, whicih attracts an imimense 
local and tourist traffic throughout the 
year, as the surf bathing is unsurpassed 
in any lamd. Owing to the salubrious cli- 
mate, fine hotels and natural advantages, 
the city is a very popular winter resort for 
northern people, and in sumimer for those 
from the interior of Texas and adjoining 
states, w'bo come here in large numbers 
to enjoy the cool and refreshing gulf 
breezes that are almost constantly in cir- 
culation. Galveston is a city of delightful 
hoimes, many of them being the most lux- 
urious in the south. Of her schools she is 
justly proud, as after the imany liberal 
comparisons maide, few equal and none 
surpass them. 

A combination of favorable conditions, 
a ratiirally dry soil, a large pro'portion of 
sunshine, an almost constant sea breeze, 
renders Galveston one of the healthiest 
of cities, as the record shows it to be. 



10 



During tL^ past 24 yeai's the .highest tem- 
perature reached at Galveston was 98 in 
1S74. In 1879, '82, '89, '90, '91, '92 and ,93 the 
higihest temperature reached was f'2. In 
the other years during the past 24 years 
t'he highest temperature ranged from 93 
to 97. Durin^g the past 24 years the low- 
est temiperature reached 'here was 11 de- 
grees above zero, in 1886. In 1895 the lowest 
temperature recorded was 15 degrees, and 
in 1880 the lowest temperature recorder 
was IS degrees above zero; in 1893 the low- 
est temperature was 37; in 1874, '82, '90 and 
'91 the lowest temperature reached was 34. 
In the other yeci^rs during the past 24 years 
the lowest temperature ranged from 20 to 
32 above zero. In the hottest weather the 
trade winds from the gulf blow over the 
country, furnis'himg a pleasant breeze. 
Sunstrokes are rarely known bere. The 
average yearly rainfall is 45 inches, evenly 
distributed. Sub-irrigation prevails at 
from eight to ten feet below the surface. 

[Extract from speech of Dr. J. F. Y. 
Paine, dean of the faculty, medical de- 
partment, university of Texas, at banquet 
of Galveston chamber of coimmerce, 
March 2, 1897.] 

"Galveston has always been remarkably 
exemipt from zymotic diseases (which in- 
clude epidemic, endemic and contagious 
affections). Scarlet fever and diphtheria 
are uncommon, and when they occur, 
rarely exhibit the virulence common to 
them in the north. Smallpox is exceed- 
ingly infrequent and has never prevailed 
to a considerable extent. Malarial dis- 
eases have no existence here. Rheuma- 
tisim is very rare. Consumption is said 
never to originate here. There is no in- 
stance of sunstroke on record that I am 
aware of. 



11 



"The exce*i3tional healthfulness of Gal- 
veston is further shown by the low rate 
of mortality, which was 15 per 1000 of pop- 
ulation in 1895 and somewhat lower than 
that in 1896, I think. 

"A glance at the meteorological condi- 
tions, briefly outlined, will show that Gal- 
veston possesses many attractive features 
of climate congenial to any class of in- 
valids except consumptives. The latter 
do badly here. The salutary effect of this 
climate uipon heart affections and nervous 
disorders is universally conceded. Insom- 
nia, the demon of the overworked business, 
cessful here as anywhere, a fact, per- 
soft. moist evening breezes or the en- 
chanting coolness of the morning winds. 
Many peojDle experience serious difficulty 
in keeping awake. 

"It is the common experience of sur- 
geons that oiperative measures are as suc- 
man. can't resist the soporific luring of the 
haps, partially explained by the antiseptic 
influence of our climate." 

GALVESTON COUNTY. 
Galveston county has an area of 640 
square miles and a population of 61,000. It 
comprises Galveston island and the adja- 
cent mainland. The surface of the coun- 
try is level prairie. The soil of the main- 
land for the most part is sandy loam. The 
island is 30 miles long and from two to 
three miles wide. The land under culti- 
vation is devoted chiefly to fruit raising 
and vegetable gardening. The assessed 
value of property in 1896 was $26,110,330. 
Improved lands sell at from $25 upward 
per acre and unimproved at from $5 to 
$.50 per acre. The average taxable value 
is .«9.69 per acre. The principal farm pro- 
ducts are sweet and Irish potatoes, corn, 
cabbage, cauliflower, celery, hay, peas. 



12 



beans, pears and strawberries and most 
of the fruits, berries and vegetables 
grown throughout the United States. The 
tax rate in the county is 98 cents on the 
$100. Up to this time the fish and oyster 
products of Galveston far exceed all other 
products of the county. 

Farmers raise two and three crops of 
vegetables each year, finumg a ready sale 
for their products in the near by cities of 
the state and in the more northern mar- 
kets. Berries are shipped three months in 
advance of the home crop in the north, 
strawberries being shipped in the middle 
of February and bringing as much as 
$16.50 per case. Pears, peaches, plums 
and figs grow aboundantly and can be 
marketed from two to three weeks in ad- 
vance of the California crops and net in- 
telligent growers from $200 to $800 per 
acre. Between Houston and Galveston 
there is scarcely an acre of land unavail- 
able as gardening and fruit land. 

Galveston county has built a wagon 
bridge across the bay that is two and one- 
seventh miles long, said to be the longest 
of its kind in the world. It is constructed 
of steel, resting on solid concrete piers, 
and is broad enough to be used by two 
teams abreast. The roads to the bridge on 
the island and for many miles on the 
mainland have been graded and shelled. 

In ^the vicinity of Galveston the hunt- 
ing and fishing are very fine and num- 
bers of noted sportsmen and business men 
from various sections of the union pay 
frequent visits to the locality to enjoy the 
rare sport. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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